Dug coins and Graded Coins !?

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Hi all,

I have some bad news for some of you. Anyone who thinks that if you send a dug coin to be graded that is in high condition you will get that grade back. I am sorry to say that if you send in a dug coin to be graded it will come back as (DUG). The only way you will get a normal grade on a dug coin is if they don't test for it at all and they will test.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

Re: Graded Coins !?

Yep. "Dug", "Cleaned" or "Artificially Toned" are the main choices.

I inherited (1995) and assembled over the years on my own a mildly respectable coin collection with none dug. In 2003 I got back into detecting after futzing around in the early 70's while in grade-school with a Radio Shack kit that hardly counts. All was fine until the local coin dealer came to give a presentation for our local detector club.

Now all of my coins are "Dug", "Cleaned" or "Artificially Toned" . . . even the ones that are not. I've NEVER showed the guy a dug coin (I keep them) but, because he saw me and recognized me, I'm stigmatized as a "treasure hunter" with junk coins.

Such is life.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Re: Graded Coins !?

I don't know how the coin grading company's do it some forensic type stuff. Your local coin dealer knows you and dose not use forensics. He just thinks by what you do you have all trash. That's why grading coins is good you have a guarantee they are not dug and he can't say they are. He then would have to offer you the dealers book price and not dug price. He just has an excuse to offer you dug prices on your coins. Sorry for your luck, find a new dealer

 

[Ricardo_NY1]

Re: Graded Coins !?

I've never sent a coin to get graded, but I would love to see what their attitude would be the day someone sends off a "Dug" 1916D dime or other key date that is worth thousands in just about any condition. I don't think their noses would be that high in the air. What's the real difference between a dug coin that was surrounded by soil as opposed to a coin that sat in a jar for 100 years with other coins around it? You tell me.

 

[l.cutler]

Re: Graded Coins !?

There really is quite a difference. Dug coins often have some degree of corrosion from constant exposure to moisture and acids and other substances in the soil. Constant soil movement and freeze thaw cycles often leave surface covered with minute scratches. Dug coins are also often improperly cleaned or handled leaving tell tale evidence. It really is not a scam to cheat people. Dug coins usually have damaged surfaces in some way. Those coins that come out undamaged due to ideal soil conditions or whatever would be graded just as any coin would.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Re: Graded Coins !?

Here's one for you. About 35 years ago (* gulp *) I found this 50¢ piece in a desk that had been my great aunt's. It us about uncirculated. An incredible coin. But, it was covered with dust and toned as you see it.

I wiped it off with a tissue (hey, I was 12 or 13) and added some tiny scratches. I am told it would be a waste to send it in for slabbing as it would be considered "artificially toned" and not be graded.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Re: Graded Coins !?

That coin was naturally toned or you would imagine it to be, or to come back as naturally toned. That can make a coin go up in value.

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[idighistory]

I sent a 1857 Lg cent, that was willed to me from my grandfather, he dug the coin out of the ground. I had it graded by ANACS as VG-8 N-4 corroded, cleaned. Question what does N-4 mean?

 

[l.cutler]

N4 is the die variety,N stands for Newcomb. Howard Newcomb wrote the standard reference for mid to late date large cents

 

[Sovereignelite]

Personally when it comes to my coins if they are not corroded or scratched badly they are fine with me...I just won't have them graded.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

i disagree

Hi all,

I have some bad news for some of you. Anyone who thinks that if you send a dug coin to be graded that is in high condition you will get that grade back. I am sorry to say that if you send in a dug coin to be graded it will come back as (DUG). The only way you will get a normal grade on a dug coin is if they don't test for it at all and they will test.

Keep @ it and HH!!

I disagree. *Theoretically* is *is* possible to find a coin in good enough non-affected shape, that no amount of "forsenics" will tell somebody it was necessarily "dug" (verses regular circulation wear, for example). I have found silver coins, in low-mineralization that came out as sparking nice as the day they were lost. Same for a few of my gold coins. So unless I go blabbing to the grader/slab person, how are they supposed to know "dug" or not? Sure, some will have tell-tale signs (subtle corrosion or whatever). But others can be pretty durned nice, if the soil type is kind. Perhaps not for copper coins and nickels, but yes for some silver coins, and certainly for gold coins (which can be utterly unaffected by ground minerals, as you know). So assuming not in moving ground (places where the ground never freezes), then theoretically they can come out in non-affected shape.

 

[boris]

I joined the PCGS for a year and sent them things at quite an expense. I think they are unknown varities of 1600s tokens maybe from Sommer Islands{Bermuda} I didn't send what I think is a III pence but sent black silver that look like xii pence and have SI on them. They just sent them back and did refund something. Then I tried a NE III pence? and they could not decide. Then I came here and tried to get help but not yet. Look at the round black things next to medallion and make a guess. thank you HH BorisThey fit into each other and turn black upon cleaning like the black ring. concave on back and old boat seems to be present.

 

[diggy]

Depending on the element of the coins and how nice mother nature is will def. effect how an individual dug coin will be graded. Very rarely will u be able to find anything of any real numismatic value that would make it feasible to get graded. Your probably not gonna go out and find a draped bust small eagle or any type or rare key date but the thrill of the hunt will keep u going. Even though MDing (treasure hunting) and coin collecting runs hand and hand its best to keep them separated. Treasure finds hold a totally different value since u found em. To answer you question your top grading co. have a meriad of tests and procedures they do to accurately grade every coin. Anyway have fun hunting and collectnig they are two awsome hobbys.